OPES – Oslo Papyri Electronic System

Background and Physical Properties

Material:

Papyrus

Connections:

–

Size:

8.5 x 20 cm.

Lines:

35

Publication side:

Recto, the Verso is blank

Palaeographic description:

–

State of preservation:

Medium brown papyrus. Only the ends of the lines are preserved

Content

Date:

138-161 (?) A.D.

Origin:

Unknown place, Arsinoite nome, province of Egypt

Language:

Greek

Genre:

Documentary

Author:

–

Title / Type of text:

Division of landed property

Content:

A contract of division of landed property among three women.

Subjects:

Contract Agreement Property Land ownership Illiteracy

Named people:

Longinia Didyme, daughter of Markion Antonia, daughter of Ossor Helena Nekos Antoninus (?) Pius Augustus, emperor

Named places:

Arsinoite nome

English translation:

In the ... year of the Imperator Caesar ... Pius Augustus, in the month of ... (date) ... (month) ... (date) in the district of ... of the Arsinoite nome. X, (father's name) ... X years of age, who is entitled to act legally without a guardian on account of the right of children according to Roman custom, assisted by X and X (father's name), 60 years of age .................... and Longinia (?) Didy]me, daughter of Markion, son of Dionysios also called ..., both with guardians, Longinia Didyme with her husband X, son of ---aios, Helena with her relative X, acknowledge to each other willingly and voluntarily/by their own choice to have divided among themselves for all time by common consent, what belongs to them in the neigbourhood of the said village, first the ... arourae ........... called Satornila ........... half of ... measured by the measure of schoinion, ninety-six .................................... and ................. in accordance with the division which they have made with each other by common consent, X has received as her share in addition to the half part falling to her lot also ................. of Antonia daughter of Ossor ...s share) ... which borders in the south............... in the north ... in the west a canal, in the east ................. ................... Longinia Didyme ............. a share of the third part which ... and borders in the south ... in the north with a public road, in the west a canal, in the east ..................... ............................ and manured ............. Therefore accordingly each shall possess and be master of (their shares) from now on and for all time. As for the ..................... Let the contracting parties, each of them and their heirs, observe all the terms which are made clear in accordance with this division. And let it not be possible for either of them to set aside any part of the division, nor accuse any of the others nor proceed against her in any way upon any pretext, but each of them shall unhindered make use thereof in any way she wants. And if any of them breaks the aforementioned terms, let the transgressor pay damage to the one who abides by them and double expenses and a fine of ... silver drachmas ................ and to the treasury an equal sum and no less. Signatories: the abovementioned legally empowered individuals. 2nd hand: X ...... I acknowledge that I have made the division with ... X ... and ... X ... and that I have received my share .............. the north part ............of the ground the neighbours of which have been mentioned in what precedes, and I agree to the abovementioned division and I shall abide by everything and I shall not set aside anything of what precedes. I, Nekos, have written this since she is illiterate. 3rd hand: Longinia Didyme daughter of Markion, son of Dionysios also called X . I agree to the above (terms of) division and shall abide by everything and I shall not set aside any of the prededing (terms). X ...., I wrote this for her as she is illiterate. 4th hand: X .... I acknowledge to have made the abovementioned division with X ... and ... X ... and I agree to the division and I shall abide by everything and shall not set aside anything of what precedes.

Provenance:

Unknown place, province of Egypt

Acquisition:

Purchased 1923 through British Museum, with M. Nahman as the dealer. Cf. the reports and the inventory list by H. I. Bell

Acquisition year:

–

Editions

• Eitrem S-Amundsen L, P.Oslo II, 1931, 31

Further Literature

–